Reviewed, edited and approved by Jeff Robb. Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.
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Key passage: Luke 10:38-42 (KJV)
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Reflection
Jesus and His disciples come into a village, and a woman named Martha opens her home to them. That's no small thing. Feeding a teacher and a group of followers would take a lot of work.
Martha has a sister named Mary. And Luke tells us Mary sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
Meanwhile, Martha was cumbered about much serving. Cumbered means weighed down, pulled in every direction. Picture her moving between the kitchen and the guests, the bread, the water, the dishes, while her sister just sits there.
Finally she has had enough. She comes to Jesus and says, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
It's an honest complaint. And most of us can understand it. Someone has to get the meal on the table.
Jesus answers gently. You can hear the tenderness in the way He says her name twice. Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Notice that Jesus doesn't scold Martha for serving. Serving is good. Hospitality is good. The problem wasn't her work. It was that she was careful and troubled, anxious and upset, about many things. And she was missing the one thing.
Mary had chosen the good part. She was listening to Jesus. And Jesus says that would not be taken away from her. The meal would be eaten and forgotten. The words she heard at His feet would stay with her.
Most of us lean toward Martha. We are busy, often with good things. Work, family, church, helping others. But we can get so busy doing things for Jesus that we stop spending time with Him.
The answer isn't to stop serving. It's to start at His feet. To sit, listen, and let Him fill us before we pour ourselves out. Then the serving comes from a quieter heart.
It's the middle of the week, when the list is often longest. Before you start the next thing, sit at His feet for a few minutes. Read His word. Listen. That is the one thing needful.
Cross-references
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I am often careful and troubled about many things. Thank You for Your gentle words to Martha, and to me. Help me to choose the good part today, to sit at Your feet and hear Your word, and then to serve You from a quiet heart. Amen.
For today: Before you start your busiest task today, spend a few minutes at Jesus' feet in His word.